Integrated FlightGround Software for Rapid Mission...

Integrated FlightGround Software for Rapid Mission Development

Mark McCrum, Alex Mason, Peter Mendham

24/04/2019 Integrated Flight-Ground Software for Rapid Mission Development 2/17

About us

● Space technology companySpace technology company specialising in software specialising in software● Based in Scotland, UKBased in Scotland, UK

● Founded in 2011Founded in 2011● Experience with a wide range of Experience with a wide range of upstream softwareupstream software

● FlightFlight● Mission control/operationsMission control/operations● SimulationSimulation

● Mixture of software Mixture of software products and servicesproducts and services● Supplying products to nano-satellite missions worldwideSupplying products to nano-satellite missions worldwide● Partnered with spacecraft integrators offering full software Partnered with spacecraft integrators offering full software

serviceservice● Ongoing R&D projects and consultancy with ESA, UKSA Ongoing R&D projects and consultancy with ESA, UKSA

and othersand others


Typical Space System

● Interface specified at the level of telecommand and telemetry packets● Impoverished view of the functionality provided● High level patterns of interaction not readily captured● Labour-intensive● Error-prone● Hard to change (particularly across organisational + contractual boundaries)● Complicates operation + automation

● Problems● Doesn’t scale well● Doesn’t support rapid, agile development


Some alternative approaches ...

CSP PUS


GenerationOne

● GenerationOne is a core software technology and reference architecture● Applied to onboard software through a Flight Software Development Kit● Applied to operations through Mission Control Software

● GenerationOne addresses the key challenges by combining● Model-based software engineering

– Model captures software at an architectural level

● Component-based software engineering– Software is built from regularly structured modules (components)

● A service-oriented architecture– Interactions between components conducted using services

● GenerationOne was not solely designed up-front● Started simple with features introduced gradually● Has been iterated and improved upon● Uses experience from many projects and missions● Features tested in a practical environment● Continues to be extended and improved


Characteristics of GenerationOne

● Model-based software engineering● Permits machine comprehension of software architecture● Enables tooling to assist with software development● Tools can also be used to assist with product/quality assurance● Model describes architecture across flight and ground● Model used across life-cycle from early development to end of operations

● Component-based software engineering● Key enabler for re-use● Each component includes implementation, tests and documentation● Complete system built from components● Lightweight underlying framework connects and supports components● Many (most) components portable across platforms and operating systems

● Service-oriented architecture● Provides consistent semantics for component interactions● Enables low level parts of software to be expressed as components● Raises the semantic level of operations● Separates interaction semantics from implementation protocol


Example software components

● Subsystem components, represent hardware● EPS, battery, ADCS, payload● Support for many off-the-shelf hardware subsystems and OBCs● AAC Microtec, Clyde Space, GOMspace, ISIS, Pumpkin, Vorago and many more

● Data handling and monitoring components● Sampling, data pool, aggregation, logging, monitoring, statistics● Support for most common onboard monitoring functions

● Communications components● Packet handling, telemetry reporting● Support for a number of different communications protocols● Includes support for ECSS PUS, CFDP

● Automation components● Absolute and relative time scheduling, orbit-based scheduling● Event-based automation● Onboard scripting

● Mission-specific custom components● Mode management, deployment sequencing, orbit counting


Typical workflow


MCS View


Results

● 10 Diverse Cubesat missions within the company● Small team, rapid development

● 8 Satellites currently operating with gen1 technology● Application Diversity

● Commercial, Science, Education● Platform & Technology Diversity

● AAC-Clyde, Pumpkin, GOM Space, Custom● Linux, RTEMS, FreeRTOS, Bare metal● ARM, x86, Leon-2, SPARC, MSP430

● Centralised & Distributed Architectures


Conclusion

● Move towards a more unified treatment of space and ground through a shared functional architectural model

● Facilitates rapid iteration● Raises the semantic level of the space / ground interface for improved

operability, autonomy and scalability

Bright Ascension [email protected]+44 (0) 1382 602041

Come and see us at Stand B6


Backup slides


Interface to a component

● Actions● Commands/operations/methods● Can 'invoke' from onboard or ground

● Parameters● Data fields/attributes● Can 'get' or 'set' (if not read-only) from onboard or ground

● Exceptions● Status code● Returned by synchronous operations (e.g. get/set/invoke)● Indicates abnormal or unusual operation, usually an error

● Events● Issued asynchronously and usually logged onboard● Indicates abnormal or unusual operation, usually an error

● This is the interface that is “seen” from ground● Components can be grouped together to form a logical hierarchy


The GenerationOne approach

● Provide common functions off-the-shelf as software components● Model captures the available component types

● Flight software rapidly assembled from these components● Within the “glue” of the GenerationOne framework● Model captures the architecture resulting from component assembly

● The software can therefore be tailored for the mission● Which components are used● How many of each type of component is used● The ways in which components are connected together● Custom components for the mission

● Component framework is relatively simple● Not flying a lot of unnecessary complexity

● Component interfaces follow regular structure● Limits issues caused by component interactions

● Reduce development time, cost and risk● Software available earlier to support AIT


Component interface from ground

Component

Action

Parameter


Components and services

● A component interface and a service are on different semantic levels● Component interfaces (as defined by the OSRA)

● Describe what● For example

– An attribute

– An event

● Bindings bind a thing to a thing– e.g. an attribute to an attribute

● Service interfaces (as defined by MO and, to a lesser extent, SOIS)● Describe how● For example

– Parameter service

– Event service

● Bindings bind a mechanism to a mechanism

Integrated FlightGround Software for Rapid Mission...

Documents

Transcript of Integrated FlightGround Software for Rapid Mission...